Table top construction



April 21, 1942. s. MADsEN TABLE TOP CONSTRUCTION `Filed April l0, 1959 llt:

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raam: "sor coss'raucrros sem mail, cantan. im, maar a caras Companies poration of Iowa Incorporated,I (.lllnton,- Iowa, a cor- Application apra 1o, 1939, serai No. zee-974' l z claim. (ci. .sn-4) One object of my present invention is to prostruction to which a sink `may be attached and the joints between sections of the table top are so formed thatthere are no visible screws or other fastening means except in one modification of a joint construction, wherein the heads of the screws are visible. A

A further object is ,to provide a joint between sections of the table top which has a splice bar mounted on top of the adjacent ends of two sections of the table top. a splice plate being provided beneath the sections and the bar and plate being connected together by clamp screws.

Still a further object is to provide the splice plate with upturned and inclined flanges which coact with grooves in the bottom of the sections of the table top in such manner as to tend to pull the sections toward each other.

With these and other objects in view. my invention with respect to its features which I believe to be novel and patentable will be pointed out in the claims appended hereto. For a better detailed understanding of the invention, refer- T-shaped cross section having arms I8 and a leg Il. The leg I9 is screw threaded to receive clamping screws 2l.

The leg I! is located between the table top -sections and a splice plate 2i 'is engaged with the lower surfaces thereof by the clamp screws III. The splice plates 2l have their edgesv 22 upturned to provide inclined flanges which are received in transverse grooves 23 formed in the bottom surfacesof the top members Il and il.

A banding frame F is provided to line a sink' .opening 24 in the top member I0. A sink S is supported by the banding frame F in the manner fully described in my parent application hereinbefore referred to.

The table top is covered with linoleum indi- Y cated at 2l, if desired, and the splice bar i1 is ence is made to the following description and to the accompanying drawing, in which Figure 1 is a plan view of a table top construcgtion embodying my invention:

Figure 2 is an enlarged sectional view on the "'line 2-2 of Figure 1 showing va splice between sections of the table top: p

Y Figure 3 is an exploded perspective view of the elements of the splicing means;

Figure 4 is a sectional view similar' to Figure 2 showing a modified construction, and Figure 5 is a similar sectional view showing another modified construction.

0n the accompanying drawing, Ih'aveused the reference numeral il to indicate one section of a table top. Other sections thereof are indi i cated at il and i4. A back splasher l! is used in connection with the tabletop sections il,- Il

`and i4 when the table top is installed a preferably countersunk therein so that the upper surfaceof the splice bar and the upper surface ofthe linoleum are ilush'with each other. It will be obvious that the clamp screws 20 in con- Junction with the splice bar i1 and the splice plate 2l (particularly the inclined flanges 22 thereof-) cooperate to normally clamp the adjacent edges of the table top sections between them to thereby provide in effect an integral rigid top member with the flanges 22 tending, by their engagement 'with the edges of the grooves Il, to pull the adjacent top members toward each other as the clamping screws 2l are tightened.

In the modification shown 'in Figure 4, some parts are similar to those already described in connection with Figure 2 and bear the same reference numerals with the addition of'theletter a. The splice bar4 ila is flat instead of being T-shaped, and the clamp screws 20a are welded thereto. The clamp screws extend through the clamp plates lla and nuts 20' are threaded on the clamp screws to tighten them in position.

Similarly, in Figure 5 the parts have the same reference numerals with the addition of the letter b and instead of the clamp screws 20a being v received in countersunk openings 2i of the splice counter or work table in a kitchen or the e.

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The table top sections Il and il are Joined to l the come: section n by spuce''bm l1. 'rae splice bars l1, as sbownin `Figure Lars of bar ilb. If desired, the edges of the bar Ilb mayl be provided with prongs llc to enter the linoleum 2l and. more firmly hold it in position.

In accordance with the provisions of the patent statutes, I have described the principleof operation of my invention together with illustrations thereof which VI consider to represent its best embodiments. I desire to have it understood, however. that the structures disclosed are illustrative only and that the invention may be carried out by other means provided they come within the scope of the claims.

What I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is:

.1. In a table top, a plurality of top members and means for splicing the ends of said top members together comprising a T-shaped splice bar having its arms on top of the top members and its leg between them, said leg being thicker than said arms and having tapped openings spaced longitudinally therealong, a splice plate under said top members, vsaid splice plate having the edges thereof inclined towards said top members, said top members having grooves to receive said edges with the inclined surfaces of saidxsplice plate edges engaging the corners of said grooves, and clamp screws extending through said splice plate and into said tapped openings ofv said leg of said splice bar to draw the splice bar and the splice plate toward each other and thereby to clamp the adjacent edges of said top members between them and to cause said inclined surfaces of said splice plate to engage said corners of said grooves and thereby draw said top members toward each other.

2. In a table top, a plurality of top members and means for splicing the ends of said top members together comprising a T-shaped splice bar of substantially uniform cross section throughout its length, said top members adjacent their liolned ends being rabbeted in their upper surfaces, said splice bar having its arms countersunk in the rabbets of said top members whereby the upper surface of the splice bar is in flush face relation to the upper surface of the top members. said T shaped splice bar having its legs between said top members, with the adjacent edges of the top members spaced from each other a distance greater than the thickness of said leg, said leg having tapped openings spaced longitudinally thereof, a splice plate under said top members, said splice plate having the edges thereof inclined t'oward said top members, said top members having grooves to receive said edges with the inclined surfaces of said splice plate edges engaging the corners of said grooves, and clamp screws extending through said splice plate and into said tapped openings of said leg of said splice bar to draw the splice bar and the splice plate toward each other and thereby to clamp the adjacent edses of said top members between them to cause said inclined surfaces of said splice plate to engage said corners of said grooves and thereby to effect drawing of said top members toward each other and to effect drawing of the vertical faces of said rabbets into tight engagement with the terminal edges of said arms of said splice bar.

SERN MADSEN. 

